Birthday cake plate



Nov. 21, 1933. H. CUNNINGHAM- 'BIRTHDAY CAKE PLATE Filed March 25, 1933 awe/WM Patented Nov. 21, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This inventioin relates to the class of plates and pertains particularly to a plate designed primarily for supporting cakes.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a birthday cake plate wherein means is provided for the mounting of candles thereon about the cake.

Another object of the invention is to provide a plate having means adjacent its periphery for the support of candles, wherein a removable unit forms a part thereof which is designed to catch any drippings leaving the candle.

The inventioin will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention, as expressed in the appended claim.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in top plan of one form of the plate embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view in cross section of the plate taken substantially upon the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view in bottom plan and upon an enlarged scale, of a portion of the under side of the plate structure shown in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a view in transverse section of a modified form of the plate structure, the central portion of which has been broken away.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing wherein like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral 1 indicates generally the preferred form of the .present invention. In this form the plate comprises a main body portion 2 and an under or removable bottom portion 3.

The plate is preferably formed of china or porcelain and the main body or top portion 2 which is of circular design as shown in Figure 1, has a double circle of apertures 4 formed therethrough for the reception of candles, the area lying within the inner ring of apertures 4 being imperforate and designed to receive the cake body.

Formed integral with the edge of the top portion 2 is the annular wall or flange 5 which serves as a support for the body and the inner wall of this flange or base annulus has formed integrally therewith at diametrically opposite points, the flat lugs 6.

The bottom disk 3 is provided with the integral upstanding flange 7 and at diametrically opposite points there are formed through this flange 7 and through the adjacent portion of the bottom 3 the apertures 8 through which the lugs 6 pass 0 when the bottom is placed in position beneath the under side of the top 2. As will be readily apparent the bottom 3 is held in place by slightly rotating it after the lugs 6 have passed through the openings 8 so that the bottom will rest upon 5 the top of the lugs as illustrated in Figure 2. In order to facilitate the grasping of the bottom 3 so that it may be readily turned and withdrawn from the annular base portion of the top, there are provided the finger-holds 9 upon the under side of the bottom disk 3 as shown in Figure 2.

When the two units of the plate are assembled the required number of candles are disposed about the outside thereof in the apertures 4 and they will rest upon the underlying bottom disk 3 as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. Any wax running from the candles will pass downwardly through the openings onto the bottom disk 3 and thus will not spoil the appearance of the cakedisplay. It will be readily apparent that the melted wax may be easily removed by separating the two units of the plate in the manner above described.

In Figure 4 a modified form of plate is illustrated and indicated generally by the numeral 10. In this form the plate is made of relatively thick vitreous material and comprises the top 11 and supporting base flange 12. In this form the top is provided with candle sockets 13 instead of apertures as in the case of the form of plate illustrated in Figure 1. As these sockets do not pass through the top of the modifled form of plate it is unnecessary to provide the removable under structure.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that with a plate of the character herein described a birthday cake may be attractively displayed and set oil by rings of candles which may be allowed to burn while the cake is being out and served, without having to be extinguished and removed as would be the case if they were mounted upon the cake as is the usual custom.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:-

A device of the character described, comprising a circular plate, an integral flange formed about the edge of the plate and constituting a supporting base therefor, a pair of lug members disposed at opposite points upon the inner face of the flange and in spaced relation with the and the plate is facilitated, the disk being held on the lugs by being partially rotated after such insertion, and means carried upon the side of the disk opposite that side from which the flange projects, to facilitate its rotation, said plate being provided with a plurality of candle receiving apertures.

HARRY CUNNINGHAM. 

